Jennifer Lopez signs with American Idol

[HMG Celebrity News] – As we have all been made sadly aware, Jennifer Lopez was offered a seat on American Idol to replace Ellen DeGeneres. Well, insiders say that after a lot of posturing and ego she’s now got the job.

We reported a few weeks ago that the 41-year old singer was demanding $15-million a year, plus her own dressing room compound, plus a squadron of flunkies to make her feel special. But that wasn’t all.

Lopez and her manager, Benny Medina, had a meeting with Idol’s in July, and she accepted the job. Since then, the pair have been trying to milk Fox for all they could get from the deal. But Fox turned all that down.

First she wanted $15-million a year. Fox offered $12-million, and she settled. But she also wanted at least one guaranteed movie, plus TV pilots — in which she’d also star. And that didn’t fly.

“She was angling for an overall deal, including a picture, to keep her movie career going. But Fox said no,” one insider tells Deadline. “These types of films were called a ‘vanity deal’ for good reason. They simply don’t exist today.”

It’s no secret that J-Lo’s career has been on the skids for some time — Sony Music canceled her album, then dropped her last year. And her last movie [and if we're lucky, it will be] ‘The Back-Up Plan’ died at the box office in April, amid scathing reviews.

But throughout the talks, Lopez’ reps kept threatening she’d walk if Fox didn’t meet her demands, and that’s when faked stories about Idol’s bosses talking to current stars were leaked to the press — To call Lopez’ bluff. And they worked.

“It was just posturing,” says a source. “I’d have been very surprised if she had walked – She needs the money.”

Even the timing of this announcement had to suit little Jen; She wanted it timed to coincide with Island Records releasing her first single this month.

So the job is now hers, despite all her efforts to throw it away. Did Fox make the right choice? Let’s hear your review…